False Pretense
by Nights Sleepless
Summary: Random, collection of one-shots concerning Sarah/Derek. Ratings may change.
1. In Too Deep

So, the deal is, I whenever I write a new Sarah/Derek fic, I'm going to update it here. I'm not promising it'll be updated every day or even week. It's just better than having them pile up, cause I'm just like that haha.  
Got into Derek's head this time. I find him a lot harder to write from than Sarah. He's a lot harder to understand than her, and I hope I sorta got him down in this one. How was I?

Special, special thanks to 'Private Charlotte Angela Reese, long-lost sister of those looovely Reese boys' for beta-ing this for me and cause she's just awesome like that.

Enjoy&Review!!

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There was something soothing about the sound of a gun being taken apart and reassembled. All the clicks and clacks that seemed rhythmic, somehow calming. It's what drew him toward the doorway, while on his way to leave to go to see Jesse. He spent most of his time with her now, when he wasn't with the Connors, or off doing a mission for them. Sarah rarely questioned his absence which both relieved him and confused him. He could lie pretty well, but Sarah always somehow seemed to be able to tell when he did. If she didn't ask, he wouldn't have to be caught lying. But, shouldn't she be worried about what he was doing? One wrong move and he could bring disaster down on them.

Her back was to him as he leaned against the doorway. The box containing most of the guns had been pulled from under her bed, and she sat crossed legged on the bed, surrounded by them. Peering over her shoulder, he saw a small hand gun in her hands. Click, click, clack, click. If she turned around and saw him staring at her, there was no doubt in his mind how she would react. But Derek never cared if she was angry with him or not, it didn't faze him. He actually liked the way she thought when she was really angry.

It wasn't the first time he had thought about how she probably wished he was Kyle instead. Hell, Derek would have preferred he was the dead one, and his brother was here with Sarah. At least John would have his father, Sarah would be happier. Kyle wouldn't be running off to go make time with a girl. Derek frowned at that thought and shifted, crossing his arms over his chest. He had no reason to feel guilty, so why did he? No, that feeling had to be something else besides guilt. He was getting it confused with something else.

Clack, click, thud. She set the gun down and picked up another one. Derek knew he really should get going, but he couldn't bring himself to move. He should at least say something, instead of standing there watching her. Mind racing, he desperately searched for something to say to her, but couldn't think of anything. Right now, she seemed so relaxed and at ease, even if she had a gun in her hands. It seemed wrong to disturb her. He knew as soon as she became aware of his presence she'd tense, and walls would be thrown up around her.

He had walls, of course. He understood why she had hers, but that didn't mean he didn't like to push those walls. See how far he could get, which wasn't as far as he would like. But lately, he'd hardly had a chance to try. No, he's mostly gone, only to show up when they absolutely needed him. Which was becoming less and less often. Of course, he knew that didn't give him reason to just leave them. He wasn't planning on it, this was still his mission. To protect John, and even Sarah when she rarely needed him to. That was okay with him though, he liked how strong she was. It was no wonder his brother had fallen in love with her.

"How much longer are you planning on standing there?" Her voice broke through his thoughts and he jumped, standing up straight.

How had he been stupid enough to think she wouldn't sense him staring at her?

Clearing his throat, he considered an answer.

"Not much," he replied sarcastically and took a step into the room, but hesitated.

"You leaving?" she asked, not turning around to look at him, still reassembling and cleaning the gun in her hands.

He was caught off guard by how casually she asked that. Most of the time she didn't even acknowledge his absence. He would wonder if she noticed him leaving at all, but he knew that she noticed everything. "Yeah," he breathed, nodding, though she couldn't see him. He watched her for a moment longer in silence, the only noise coming from the gun. "Aren't you going to ask me where I'm going?"

"Nope," she answered simply, moving to a new gun. He resisted the urge to ask why not.

"I could be putting you guys in danger," he told her. For a reason unknown to him, he wanted her to ask him what he was doing. To demand that he not go and stay there. To get angry at him for being gone all the time.

"You're not," she informed him. Taking another step towards her, he studied her hard. She glanced over her shoulder at him, before going back to the gun. "I trust you...enough." Her voice was firm and business-like, as if they were discussing a plan of attack. He knew she trusted him somewhat, of course, or else she wouldn't let him around them. The most likely reason that she trusted him so much around her or John was because he was a Reese, Kyle's brother. He opened his mouth to say something when another voice spoke.

"I'm going to head to the store now with Cam," John said as he pushed past Derek into the room. "Got the list?"

Sarah put the gun she was holding down, and stood up, walking over the the small table next to her bed. Picking up a small piece of paper, she turned around and held it out for him. He grabbed it, but she didn't let it go at first. "Back in an hour," she warned him. He nodded and she released it. Derek was still amazed by all these little everyday things that they did. Things he had missed in the early years after Judgment Day. He'd soon moved on from mourning the loss of his old life, having to constantly fight for survival in his life now.

Creeping out of the room, he turned and made his way down the hallway. All he felt like doing was getting away for a moment. He heard foot steps behind him, and guessed it was John. Just as Derek was about to reach the door, someone grabbed his arm. Stopping, he turned to see who it was and was surprised to see Sarah. "What?" he asked, watching her face closely.

"Here," she said, letting go of his arm and reaching behind her. Pulling a gun from her waistband, her face stayed emotionless as she held it out to him. Slowly, he took it from her and made sure it was loaded. Satisfied, he looked back up at her, but she was already making her way back down the hallway.

John appeared in front of him, holding the keys and paper in one hand and his cell phone in the other. "That's weird," he observed, glancing down at the gun in Derek's hand.

"What?" he asked as John moved past him, towards the door.

"That's her favorite gun," he called over his shoulder, heading out. Derek watched as the door slammed shut before tucking the gun between his jeans and back. Giving one last glance down the hallway, he turned and headed outside. Though he had lost all desire to go see Jesse now. But, he really needed to get out of that house. It was already becoming too clear that he was adjusting to this life. To the world before Judgment Day, where he wasted time having meaningless conversations and lingering in doorways.


	2. What You Want

Yup, so this is the second one. Hope you like it.

Thank you so so **so** much, Charlotte Reese, for beta-ing this for me!!

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The man had come out of nowhere. It was obvious he wasn't a cyborg, his eyes looking slightly crazed instead of blank. Maybe if she had been paying more attention she would have seen his shadow in the window.

They had been having a casual conversation that turned into a heated argument. Something about how John was getting out of control, doing stupid things, not thinking properly. Sarah was trying to agree with Derek, while still defending John at the same time. Of course, Sarah could relentlessly lecture him about growing up and taking responsibility, but that didn't mean she didn't feel sorry for him. He was just a kid, her son.

"It doesn't matter, _Sarah_," he told her angrily, saying her name darkly. It was clear this was a pressing matter for him, something he'd had on his mind for a while. His anger at her fueled her own anger at him. The poor defenseless paper towel holder she held was being crushed under her white knuckles while she shoved the paper towels on it. Glancing up at him, she noticed how his eyes turned lighter when he was angry. How they seemed to be staring at her so intensely it made her skin crawl.

"Yes, it does, _Derek,_" she said his name with the same amount of venom. "He's not some soldier! He's a kid." Derek's mouth twitched, but she spoke before he could. "I understand he needs to be controlled, but yelling it into him isn't going to work." John may be the savior of mankind, but he's still a teenager and nothing was going to change that. Go at him with anger, he'll just lash out or run. He'll defy them anyway he can, just to prove that their words don't affect him. Shaking her head, she moved around the counter towards Derek, letting her hip brush against the edge.

"If we _don't_ do anything about him, it'll continue. He needs to know that what's going on is serious," Derek explained, turning to face her and leaning against the counter.

Couldn't Derek see it was that exact reason that John was behaving irresponsibly? John knew it was serious. Knew that this was life or death. And he was trying to remove himself from it. Trying to keep his sanity. Trying not to become her.

"He does," Sarah replied, turning to leave the kitchen, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled roughly. Sarah convinced herself the only reason she let him pull her around to face him like that was because she knew they should settle the argument now, rather than through the day.

She just wasn't expecting the wave of awareness at his close proximity, as his intense gaze locked with hers.

"Are you going to do something about it?" he asked, and she could swear he was purposely making his breath hit her face.

Her hand turned and grasped his wrist in response, and her eyebrows knitted together, glaring at him. Her anger evaporated for a moment, and she stared at him, her thoughts stalling. Feeling his grip on her tighten, pulling her just a little closer, she quickly recuperated.

"I already am," she snapped, quiet and low to let him know she was serious, and not to mess with her. But, he didn't let go of her just yet.

"Better be sure," he warned her, and she tilted her head, biting the inside of her cheek. It was a way for her to control her anger and not break his arm right there. Of course, no matter how angry she got at him right now, she wouldn't physically harm him...that much. His hand tightened on her wrist even more, as if that were possible. What message was he desperately trying to send her? It occurred to Sarah she better learn quick, or else her hand would start to grow numb from lack of blood being able to travel to it.

And then, just like that, he released her. Flexing her hand, she gave him one last glare from under her lashes and turned away. That's when the glass to the back door shattered, and shortly after the door itself. Reflexively, her hand went to the small of her back to retrieve her gun, but it wasn't there. Images flashed through her mind, reminding her she had left it on the counter. Someone obviously had a gun, though, as the shots rang out, causing complete chaos. The man didn't seem to know exactly what he was shooting for, because his arm flew around, not aiming. Her legs braced themselves, ready to jump forward and engage in hand on hand combat with the man just as his hand whipped in her direction, when he jerked back, red spilling from his chest. But not before something collided with Sarah, pushing her to the ground and landing on her.

The air escaped her lungs in a quiet 'Oof!' as something smashed against her chest. Her eyes had closed as she choked to get air in her lungs. Her legs scraped the ground, desperate to get up, still fearful of the man who had so rudely burst into their house. But her arms were crushed between her and the thing on her. Only when she felt his deep panting by her ear and felt his arms wrapped around her back did she realized the thing was Derek.

"Wha-" But it still was a struggle to get air to her lungs. He picked his head up and looked at her, his eyes searching her face.

"You okay?" he asked after a moment. Struggling to look behind him, she saw the intruder was laying limp on the floor, gun scattered away across the room from the fall. When she felt one of Derek's hands travel down her back, she instantly snapped back to look at him. His thumb skimmed the edge of her waistband and he frowned. "Where's your gun? You could have been shot! If I hadn't shoved you out of the way, you'd be the one dead on the floor," he told her sharply. You would think his words would sound concerned or worried, but they were angry and reeked with disappointment.

Squirming to get her arms free from the crushing weight of his chest, she moved to grasp his waist, wanting to shove him off of her. However she hesitated when her fingers brushed his skin, due to his shirt riding from the movement of falling and whatnot. For a split second Sarah forgot all about the danger they could still be in, about the dead man lying maybe a yard away. About the questions and the frustration that would plague them for the next few days while dying, possibly literally, to know what it all meant and how it fit in.

Instead, all that she could hear was her own heartbeat mixed in with their breathing. See his face, inches from hers, and his eyes telling her he was in the same moment she was in. Feel his arms tighten around her by the slightest, pressing his body closer to hers, and his breath on her face. Feel his chest rising and falling, and the way she was frozen in place.

But it was only a moment, a split second, and she was already shoving him off of her. Acting as though it never happened...because she knew deep down that it wasn't supposed to. Still, as she knelt down to get a closer look at the man and she glanced up at Derek, the way he was staring at her was impossible for her to ignore. So she turned her attention back to the dead man and locked her thoughts in the little black box in her mind where every other thought not concerning the end of the world went when there was business at hand. Maybe she'd go back to the moment later, when she didn't realize she was thinking about it.

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